1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of smoothing electrical power output from a means for generating electricity from wind, such as a wind farm, and to a system for providing electrical energy from wind.
2. Description of the Invention Background
A wind farm is a device which generates electricity from wind power. As used hereinafter the term "wind farm" embraces any device or series of devices such as rotors, windmills and the like which are arranged to generate electrical power from wind. The amount of electrical power a wind farm provides is dependent on various factors, inter alia, the cube of the wind speed. Wind speed varies considerably over time thus the electrical power output of a wind farm is extremely variable and unpredictable.
Due to their unpredictable power output, existing designs of wind farms have been limited to being used as sources of low load electricity generation for grids, since they have been considered too unpredictable for use as base, medium or peak load plants for electricity generation for supply to a grid system.
Conventional wisdom suggests that the total contribution of wind power to grid systems cannot exceed 10-20%.
Prior systems for matching wind energy conversion plant output to demand have relied upon electro/mechanical means. These methods involve the sacrifice of the maximum available wind power when maxima occur at times of low demand. During periods of high demand, windfarm output can only provide the instantaneous power that is available from the wind.
It is an object of the present invention to alleviate some or all of the above-mentioned problems so that the value of the output power of wind farms can be enhanced.